What is your work doing instead of traditional Xmas party?

[SoTiredNeedHoliday]

I'm just wondering if anyone has decided what they are doing for their work Christmas party now that a traditional party can't happen.
I've been trying to come up with ideas.... but am failing

@AnnoyedByAlfieBear

We've all been given a company branded Christmas hoodie.

Ohhh, that's um, thoughtful...

Try ebay, you might get enough for or even

@helloxhristmas

Some form of hideous forced fun on zoom.

This , I won't be able to connect hopefully 😂

We've been given an extra day of annual leave (office now shuts at 12pm on 23rd rather than 12pm on 24th), and I can't imagine anyone would rather have had a Zoom event than that! Everyone was very pleased, though I think - perhaps cynically! - that it's a very clear sign that the review due in January to see whether our current pay cut is reversed is going to be a no, because they've also given us an extra day off in March...

Sorry OP, I’d hate the decorating doughnuts thing too. Only bog standard jammy doughnuts are worth eating, adding sprinkles etc is an abomination.

Gosh I havent worked in a company for some years now but even back then they stopped doing company wide Christmas parties - too expensive! We tended to just have whichever office department go out together for a self funded Christmas lunch.

We are just looking into it. One of the usual organisors hates hampers and wants to get hot food delivery organised to 50 people. I fear that may end in a disaster especially as the date is the 10th December, we may still be in lockdown.

I hope to get her mind changed to a drinks and snack hamper and we will have a zoom party with some entertainment.

We also have a budget per person to do something as a team, so need to organise that as well.

We're getting a take away one night instead of a staff meeting. Which obviously we're paying for ourselves 😂

Bog all, same as every year (public sector).

We will be having a few games of Christmas Bingo and someone managed Karaoke.......

Teams call with booze ( after working hours)

Making almost everyone redundant and offshoring all our work in India and Poland. Cancelling the Xmas parties and not letting the managers spend even a small % of the budget saved on buying staff gifts. Donating some (a little) of the Xmas party budget to charity.

On top of redundancies, lower bonuses, no pay increases and everyone working their arses off during covid this has not been well received. They don't care though.

Hmnmmm... have heard nothing yet.
It’s a huge healthcare company, working us harder than ever. Nothing sounds about right, but I’m an optimist so will ask and plant the idea in the minds of those with influence in our team if there is nothing company wide. Admittedly, we do get an annual bonus, but there is usually budget for Christmas celebrations on top.

@tightgriponthepursestrings we might work for the same company...we have a similar strategy.

Paid for local take away of our choice delivered to our homes with online/zoom games and raffles, entertainment etc

Oh no idea yet. The sods who get their kicks forcing people to do shit things they don't want to do will be dreaming something up I assume. I'm new in this team so can recycle last year's excuse

Not a clue. We've got some extra days off though so all off for 5 days over Christmas which is nice

We're being allowed to leave early on the last day of term and a nice gift from the headteacher.

Zero

Staff Meeting via Webinar.
We'll all be ver' ver' serious and taking notes (of course) then changing into our Christmas Jumpers and scoffing whatever festive foods are in the fridge (in our own houses)

We’ve been told we can bring our own drinks to the school hall once we have sent the kids home and sit in our bubbles.
I’ll be declining that kind invite and buggering off home to finish my work in peace

We will be in the office, so I think we will order lunch in from deliveroo/just eat and buy some drinks etc for our office party.

Ive only ever worked in organisations that don't pay for staff Xmas parties (public sector), so we've only ever had budget lunches. Doesn't feel much different to that for me.

DustyOwl I agree its tough paying for your own party. My DH has to pay for his team's party out at our expense, He's not an owner etc its just expected that each manager 'funds' their teams party, it costs us a pretty penny every year.
I actually wouldn't mind paying for my own party, if it was £20/30 per head and then the same matched by employer perhaps.
Anyway this year is a different game all together.

tightgriponthepursestrings thats a sad situation, I agree there should be no 'party' when a business is in such financial difficulty, and doing payrises or bonuses in such an environment is a pretty tough call. I know i'd rather skip a payrise orbonus and keep my co-workers onboard.
However a kind word over informal zoom call to remaining employees expressing gratitude would be something nice at least, I hope you get at least a nice message before the holidays.

It seems like the main things happening are:

• hampers instead of Christmas party

OR

• food / wine delivered and a Christmas drink over zoom (deliverroo)
• extra days leave possibly instead of Christmas party
• zoom game online or event you can do together online like donut decorating

What do you think is best?
Personally, I think a Xmas hamper and a zoom catchup. The hamper will help with the cost of the families Xmas eating at least

The doughnut/pizza thing is unappealing now, but the younger me would have liked it I think. Likewise, karaoke and murder mystery.

These days, I’d rather cash, a voucher, or a half day’s leave on an afternoon of my choice. A hamper would be quite nice too.

I’m public sector so I’ll get zilch from the company. Maybe choc or wine in the post from my lovely manager (but I won’t expect it).